Kicking the yellow bucket: the importance of using OEM filters and lubricants

Emissions trends over recent years have driven machine innovation – stricter emission regulations, new fuels, common-rail fuel systems and the need for cleaner fuel are all driving the need for improved filtration technology.

Today’s machines are engineered to the highest performance standards — each machine is a highly engineered system of complex working parts, which should be maintained by only using genuine filters and lubricants to ensure continued optimal performance. Using non-OEM-specified filters and lube creates a weak link in the system, and can compromise the performance of a machine.

Price is Not Always King

Sometimes it’s easy to base buying decisions strictly on price, but using non-OEM specified oils and filters could have a serious impact on a machine’s performance. It may save a few dollars in the short term, but using non-OEM specified filters and lubricants could cause machines to run less efficiently, wreak havoc on regular maintenance intervals and ultimately increase the total cost of ownership of a machine.

Price-conscious fleet managers and business owners will benefit from understanding the advantages of using only OEM oils. That generic yellow bucket of non-OEM specified oil, or that “will-fit” filter may seem like it’s saving you a few dollars, but in the long run they will have a negative impact on operating costs over the life of the machine.

Using non-OEM specified filters could introduce dirt and other contamination into the engine, which can ravage cylinders and other components — essentially sand-blasting the engine from the inside. The machine will require more frequent maintenance, and it will run less efficiently on the jobsite — meaning that your equipment will spend more time in the shop, and even when it is on a jobsite, it won’t be operating at peak performance.

MAT Specifications

One of the ways that CNH Industrial differentiates itself from other competitive brands is through the MATs on its engine oils. MAT is a series of internal technical standards developed by the CNH Industrial engineering team that ensures that all OEM-spec engine oils exceed the industry-standard API requirements, and have tighter tolerances than standard industry specs. The MAT number on an OEM-spec oil container certifies that the oil has been tested and approved by CNH Industrial engineers to meet the demands of the machine and help extend component life.

Using OEM-spec engine oils helps to ensure that a machine will operate as efficiently as possible throughout its lifetime. It also ensures that the machine stays on the oil change/maintenance schedule that it was designed for.

Warranty / Support

Equipment owners should always follow all manufacturer recommendations for fluids and filters. As heavy equipment has become more technologically advanced, machine tolerances have changed drastically over the years and many components require tight fluid specifications in order to run as efficiently and reliably as possible.

There are many risks involved with using poor quality oils and fluids that can have an adverse affect on warranty and machine support coverage. Using OEM-specified fluids also ensures that any warranty claims won’t be denied due to maintenance neglect.

Business owners want to protect their investments, minimize total cost of ownership and make sure that they are getting all they can out of a machine. Using OEM-specified filters and lubricants is one of the easiest ways to improve a machine’s life expectancy, and ensure that a machine is going to perform reliably throughout the course of its lifetime.